Orbit Books delivers the final book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s The Final Architecture Trilogy, and if you dug the first two, the space opera in the third is going to let you enjoy every page as Tchaikovsky wraps things up while delivering a fast-paced, highly enjoyable tale.

The Architects, strange planet-shaped beings that appear from unspace, have continued their assault on life in the universe, reworking planets, moons and ships into strange art that also destroys all life. The fragile alliance that humanity had formed with its different factions, as well as a number of alien species is failing, torn apart by infighting and mistrust.

The crew of the Vulture God, who we have travelled with and gotten to know through the course of the two previous novels are spread throughout the systems, with Idris, a powerful Intermediary with the ability to navigate unspace working to explore the depths of unspace, convinced of the reality not only of the stalking presence that everyone feels when they enter unspace, but of the idea of something else in there, deeper, driving the Architects, some intelligence who seems intent on destroying all life in the universe.

But Idris isn’t the only character we follow, we check in on Olli, Kris, Havear, and Solace, as well as a number of other characters, each of them gets their own arc, and some of them find themselves on surprising journeys as they work to reunite, becoming the last chance for the universe and all those who live in it.

Tchaikovsky keeps things moving along at warp speed, filling his dialogue with humour, as his characters find themselves in one situation after another. There are some very familiar, but cool ideas at work in the story, wanting to save the whole universe despite the fact that everyone in it seems intent on mistrusting everyone else putting us on the verge of war, the wonder of discovery and exploration as Idris delves into unspace and finds what is lurking there, and a diverse crew working together for something better, in this case, simply saving their lives, as well as those of everyone else who lives in the universe.

There is a vivid reality to Tchaikovsky’s creations, and as I settled back into this universe, it became one of those enjoyable experiences where I could see everything playing out in my mind’s eye as I read the story.

It’s a wonderfully fast-paced tale, and I’ve really grown to enjoy the way Tchaikovsky tells his stories, writes his characters, and builds his universe. I hear good things about his Children of Time series so those may have to step on deck for me very soon.

Check out Tchaikovsky’s The Final Architecture Trilogy, and his Children of Time trilogy, both of which are available now from Orbit Books!